The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-08-06
JESUS IN GALILEE.
EXPLANATORY NOTES az REV. r.
S. MAaTHUR, o. D.

V. II. Jesus az Preacher that
time, l. e., from the time OF his coming into
Cables; the time mentioned in verse IL, when
Johns imprisonment took place and his
ministry came 10 an end. Christ had visited
Galilee before and remained for time at
Capernaum. During the former visit Jesus
had preached, and many disciples were made
and baptized John iv, u, but now his
preaching was public and frequent. He
preached upon the same subject rs John the
Baptist had dwelt upon.
Repent for the kingdom OF heaven is at
hand The substance OF the Gospel Is really
the same under all dispensations. Christ
was preacher. We have not made enough
OF that feature OF his work As a preacher
he began and rs preacher he closed his
ministry John, Jesus and Paul preached
the same Gospel at different stages Of its
development There is but one Gospel
VS.. Is, l9.--Jssus calling two of his dis
ciples to be his constant attendants. The
Church of Christ could not b. fully organ
lied until after his atonins death and trum-
phant ascension and the descent of the Spirit;
but Christ was now preparing for this subse-
uUtIl Nv 'lillll3 anu Training
those who should under his guidance he its
first great teachers Walking by the Sea -
Certainly in the performance of his duty rs
a preacher, and not aimlessly walking by the
sea. The Sea Of Galilee.--This is the lake
through which the Jordan flows with an OBJ
servable current for Il considerable distance.
II is also called GenneSalet from a plain OF
district on the we tern shore. Ii was also
called the Sea of TiberaS. Called Peter
This expression distinguishes the Simon from
others Of the same name. The name Peter
had its origin in the words of Christ when
he first met Simon. He was brought to
him 10y his brother Andrew John j, 40.
At that time the name CcphaS, which
is the Aramaic for the Greek petrOs,
meaning a rock, or more strictly part of a
rock, a stone. was given him. Perhaps the
name was bestowed partly because OF the bold
ness and firmness which he afterwards should
manifest, and partly also us he was the first
stone in the apostolic foundation which Christ
was to lay. and OH which the Church was
afterward to be built Andrew is Greek
name Jews often adopted as we have occa-
sion frequently To- see in the gospels, Gentle
names. Whether he or Peter was the older it
Is lUlDSSlDlc LOT us W say. NtNllU, u net,
casting net This form Of expression originally
distinguished this net from The large hauling
net or drag net, to which reference is made
in Matt xiii, AZ. For they were fishers 49,
This was their regular occupation, and not
simply the work in which they were at this
time engaged This statement does not
necessarily imply that they were poor or
ignorant. Some of them we know were not
poor; all of them we know We're intelligent,
although they did not have the learning of
the schools. Men who could speak and write
In more than one language were not ilhterate,
as the word is generally understood.
Hither Behind me.-This language was
true literally as well as tiguratively and NOR
ally. Their place was behind, not before, the
Master. They had already owned Christ as
the Messiah, but had not until now abandoned
their calling as fishermen. will make YOU.
Christ alone possesses the authority to call
and the ability to prepare men for his service
Formerly they provided for the support of
mems bodies; now they We're to care for
mems souls. Their present employment con-
sidered even in its details, admirably illus
trates the methods to be employed and the
results to be secured in their future work.
V. 90 Prompt obedience The call ac-
cording to this account seems abrupt As
already intimated, however, Luke gives what
preceded it, showing it to be natural and APP
propriate. They were diviely moved to
prompt obedience. Gods call ought to be
heard before the voice OF man. Nothing
must come between our souls and obedience
to our Lord. Left nets-This implies that
the nets were their own They left them for
ever.
z vs.. 81, o. Two others called The calling
of the second pair of brothers is now brought
to our notice. Probably Jesus was now at
tended by Simon and Andrew, who had al.
ready Lecom. his attendants James, son of
Zebedee. james, OF Jacob, was common
name among the Jews, as the namo Of their
great father Jacob. John lis brother.-It Is
generally believed that John was the other
disciple Of John tho Baptist, who with An.
drew followed Jesus John i, $3.50. This
pair Of brothers also wcs either actually cn-
gagged in the.r daily toll OF preparing for it
when Jesus called them 10 higher service.
" %. Jesus as teacher, preacher end
healer. lie now makes his iiC. circuit o.
Gali,cc rho events narrated in tho first
three gospels occur chiefly in Calico; those in
John, gospel chiefly in Jerusalem and Julca
His ministry now became moro systematic,
covering al Ca!ilec and i. has three special
notwithstanding, preaching and heal.
ing. TcachinS-Impartin% knowledge c. re-
ligious truth, tho knowledge Of the way Of
salvation. IIo would be REGARDED by many
simply as q Jewish rabbi OF great learning
and optness to teach. ihs YVES Shown in
heir synacoSues Perhaps sruoCo"ucs were
first introduced curing the Baby lonish cap
tivity. Then the people had lost tlcir ugucl
places Of worship. Tradition. however, dates
their origin a. q much earlier period. In
Christ's time synaGogues abounded In .c!u-
salem it is said that there were $50 Preach-
ing tho gospel announcing, proclaimins TIC
glad nsws-no. only to the audiences that
met in the synagogue, but to men and women
wherever lac met them sinSly CT in groups
OF tho kinsdom that is, OF the Messiah's
reign-the new dispensation just introduced.
Healing-This word, rs Dr.. Alexander sug-
gests, originally meant serving CT attending,
and, us the result of such attendance, heal
ing. All manner; that is, diseases &C every
kind.
V. a. As the result of Lij wor,; il thcse
three directions his fame went Throughout,
all Syria. His reputation went beyond
Calico and even beyond Israel, end extended
even throughout the regions denoted by the
general term Syria. His widely extended
fame brought great number OF sufferers to
him for b..Ip Divers -(),i~innlly rllrti.